Being bad gets local band noticed online

Just ask Hush, a local band whose truly awful cover version of Pink Floyd's Comfortably Numb went viral on the Internet last week.

The band's first gig earned it more than 500,000 hits on YouTube and spots on a National Public Radio blog and Comedy Central's Tosh.0.

Not bad for a group of friends who decided six months ago to start jamming in a garage. Well, except for the fact that they're bad.

On Saturday, Hush reprised October's gig outside Big City Music on Wrightsboro Road with a two-song set.

The band members stayed true to their classic rock roots, pounding out Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here followed by Eric Clapton's Cocaine .

Their audience was a handful of family and friends, cars traveling from the nearby mall and three guys who came out specifically to watch Hush.

"I thought I would die laughing," Mitch Gayle said about the first time he watched the YouTube video, which is titled Worst Band Ever Butchers Pink Floyd.

Lead singer Joe Zale, 44, said after the set that the five-member band started as a group of friends throwing darts together. They all shared musical tastes -- including Pink Floyd -- and decided to put together a band.

During one practice the daughter of rhythm guitarist Steve Zeit, 46, told the band they sounded awful and needed to "hush." Thus, the name.

After three months of practicing the band heard about a benefit concert for breast cancer awareness. Zale thought a little more practice was in order before going public but then figured "why not?"

The result was what is seen in the online video: a disjointed, plodding train wreck of Pink Floyd's classic song.

The band members, including Michael Lester, 35, on bass and Chris Mance, 20, on drums, said they knew they sounded bad, so they weren't too upset or offended by the nasty comments.

"I laughed all the way through it," said Andy Lester, 37, who plays lead guitar.

ADVISORY: Users are solely responsible for opinions they post here and for
following agreed-upon rules of civility. Posts and
comments do not reflect the views of this site. Posts and comments are
automatically checked for inappropriate language, but readers might find some
comments offensive or inaccurate. If you believe a comment violates our rules,
click the "Flag as offensive" link below the comment.

Cut em a little slack El Guapo...I was late getting it to the radio too...we needed an angle, and Hush provided us with one by playing again yesterday. I have to give those guys kudos for trying....but my boss is mad at me, when I played the audio on the air, the glass in all three studios burst.

As a musician myself, I think Mr. Zales is correct when he says,"We had the guts to get onstage and try".Having said that, three words of advice..
Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse.....PLEASE.....rehearse.!
Good luck guys...